New Delhi, Sept 22, SPA -- The United States and India have agreed to expand their defense cooperation, said a joint statementreleased Wednesday. New Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush, who met Tuesday for the first time, agreedthat a "stronger partnership between India and the UnitedStates, two nations ... acting in concert in internationalinstitutions, would enhance global security," said thestatement. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the U.N.General Assembly in New York. "Expanded defense cooperation was perceived as anintegral aspect of the expanding ties," it said. The two leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateralrelations had never been as close as they were atpresent, said the joint statement.--SPA1135 Local Time 0835 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/203877